Sri Lankan government troops consolidating positions in a north-western coastal town seized a large haul of weapons and ammunition left behind by fleeing Tamil rebels over the weekend, a military spokesman said Tuesday, according to dpa. Security forces on Sunday captured the Silvathurai and Arippu areas, 320 kilometres north of Colombo, as rebels controlling the area along with about 6,000 civilians fled. Troops recovered 110 grenade launchers, three claymore mines, nearly 3,000 rounds of ammunition, six rocket-propelled grenades, 186 mortars and 25 boats, including one vessel prepared for a suicide attack, the spokesman said. A base used by the Sea Tigers, the Tamil rebels' naval unit, was also captured in the offensive launched Saturday, the spokesman said. No casualties were reported in the offensive despite civilians in the area reporting a heavy exchange of mortar fire between rebels and security forces.
